In your group, take one minute to write down as many transferable skills as you can.

After one minute, look at the Career Academy Skills for Success Summary and count how many of those skills you identified.

Turn to the Career Academy Skills for Success Expanded handout and participate in a class read-aloud. Pick the two that are least critical for success in college. In your groups, report out by explaining why you chose the skills you did as least important.

How about for career, why are transferable skills an important key to success?

Lastly, write down one transferable skill you think you need to improve on the most to succeed in your first semester in college or on your first job after high school. Name the one thing you can do to try to make this improvement.

Teacher Notes

By now students clearly understand the importance of transferable skills in the world of work. The next step is to apply these same skills to college. After groups report out, have students ask other students if they agree—or if they feel that the skills named ARE important in college. If they conclude that there are NO least important skills, then you know that they really understand the importance of the Skills for Success.

Possible answers for question prompt about important of transferable skills in career:

The more transferable skills you have, the more jobs you’ll qualify for

Transferable skills enable you to move up in a company

Transferable skills in one career area can enable you to enter a whole new field

When an interviewer asks you to “tell us about yourself”, describing your transferable skills will be an impressive beginning.

Most people will have many jobs, and skills that transfer will give you a leg up on other applicants

Listing transferable skills strengthens your resume and cover letter

Potential employers are impressed if you can list skills you’ve already mastered